The Caatinga Field Journal thus becomes not only a space for creation, but also a method of investigation, sensitivity, and belonging.

The brief flowering season and the intense glow we had been hoping for were not at their peak, but surprise and contemplation filled the morning. Among ancient branches, a first outdoor watercolor experience, a picnic with my mother, and an unexpected visitor, this bike expedition to Parque das Caraibeiras was a reminder that a true pause slows down time and restores the soul.

What could have been seen as a 'lack of creativity' turned out to be something else entirely: life telling me to step outside, observe, and experience. That's how, after days of struggling with distant references, I finally found the tree that brought my first A2-size botanical artwork to life.

Every spring, I remember how I used to contemplate the colors along my path. But it was while creating the 'Sertão Spring Bouquet' that I realized how every tone from vibrant yellow to the green that anchors the composition guides the gaze, awakens sensations, and turns the observation of the Caatinga into art.

A quiet journey through the Caatinga, where an apparently sleeping stream reveals sounds, memories, textures, and new ways of reconnecting with nature and with oneself.

You do not need to know its name. You do not need to draw it. You do not need to photograph it. Just stop for a few minutes. Pause. Observe.

Discover how the early blooming of a Pink Trumpet Tree in the Caatinga inspired a new watercolor and announced the first colors of spring.

“Meeting Mariana” is a botanical watercolor inspired by the species Commelina erecta, a plant whose delicate presence revealed itself through repeated encounters in the landscape of the Brazilian Caatinga. The artwork emerged from a process of attentive observation, field studies, graphite sketches, notes, and watercolor explorations developed over time.

Botanical watercolor "Meeting Mariana", inspired by Commelina erecta, with a floral composition created from field observations in the Brazilian Caatinga.

Botanical observation in the Caatinga through running, field journaling, botanical drawing, and watercolor painting. A reflection on plant encounters, landscape awareness, and the relationships that emerge through attentive observation.

Entre aroma, textura e observação botânica, iniciei os primeiros estudos da rara Isabelcristinia aromatica. Um encontro que começou no herbário e segue agora no estúdio, entre folhas macias, microscópio, grafite e atenção aos detalhes invisíveis da planta.

After drawing it, you never look at a flower the same way again

The friar’s crown cactus belongs to the genus *Melocactus* and is one of the most striking plants of the Caatinga. Its rounded shape and reddish top make it a unique, almost silent presence within the landscape. Some species in this group are threatened with extinction due to illegal removal from nature and habitat loss. Perhaps that is why encountering them along the way creates such a strong feeling.

Entre o verde intenso deixado pelas chuvas e a ausência das flores que antes preenchiam o caminho, a Caatinga revelou mais uma vez seus próprios ritmos. Em uma nova ida a campo entre Pilar e Vassourinhas, observei como cada território responde ao tempo de maneira singular e como o desenho nasce também desses intervalos da paisagem.

Finding a heart-shaped leaf in the middle of the Caatinga is more than a botanical observation — it is an encounter with delicacy. Jitirana (Ipomoea sericophylla) transforms the path into poetry and drawing into permanence.

A drawing does not always end when the graphite touches the paper. Often, the preservation stage is just as important as the drawing itself. That is how I started using matte fixative spray to protect my sketchbook drawings and also my finished artworks that will be framed.

On April 28, we celebrate Caatinga Day: the only biome found exclusively in Brazil. Among droughts, thorns, and resilience, there is also delicacy, beauty, and a botanical richness that deserves to be seen with greater attention.

O studo botânico em grafite da Flor Mariana nasce da observação atenta de suas formas, valores tonais e delicadezas estruturais, em um processo A3 que une ciência, contemplação e território.

On April 4th, during a trail journey, I encountered several blooms of xique-xique ( Pilosocereus gounellei ) emerging among the spines. Field journal record: Eveli Rayane The encounter became even more meaningful because, on the previous day, I had followed another trail in the same region, yet in a different direction, and found no blooms of this species. This contrast made me realize, once again, how a single territory holds its own particular diversity, shaped by direction

The Mariana flower returns to the Caatinga field journal, where a renewed encounter shifts the gaze toward leaves, detail, and the unfolding watercolor process.